Ban Ki-moon: UN report will show 'overwhelming' signs of chemical weapons use in Syria

A report by UN chemical weapons experts will likely confirm that poison gas
was used in an August 21 attack on Damascus suburbs that killed hundreds of
people, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Friday.

8:53PM BST 13 Sep 2013

"I believe that the report will be an overwhelming, overwhelming report that chemical weapons (were) used, even though I cannot publicly say at this time before I receive this report," Mr Ban said at a UN meeting.

He was referring to an eagerly awaited report by the UN expert team led by Ake Sellstrom of Sweden.

UN spokesman Farhan Haq said that Mr Ban does not have Mr Sellstrom's report yet. The UN chief has said previously, however, that he was in contact with Mr Sellstrom and had urged him to expedite his conclusions.

Mr Sellstrom is to travel to New York this weekend to deliver the report and brief Mr Ban, diplomats said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Mr Ban also said on Friday that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad "has committed many crimes against humanity," though he did not say whether it was Assad's forces or rebels who used the chemical weapons in the August 21 attack.